Pneumatic flotation cell



Bm, 2, E924.

G. R. SIMPSON PNEUMATIC FLOTATION CELL Filed May 4, 1920 www@ 2 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 2, 1924- 1,518,010

G. R. SIMPSON PNEUMATIC FLOTATION CELL Filed May 4, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Bec. 2, 1924.

UNT T GERALD R. SIMESON, OF KINGMAN, ARIZONA.

PNEUMATIC FLOTTION CELL.-

Applicaton filed May 4.,A 1920. `Serial No. 378,758.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GERALD R. SIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kingman, in the county of Mohave and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Flotation Cells, of which the following is a through which an air or gas is admitted unl der pressure, causing a bubbling action at this poi t which carries the sulphide or sulphidize particles in contact with the gas or air bubbles upwardly with the rising froth, while the gangue, or non-floatable particles may settle on either side of the mat, or filtering medium, to the bottom of the ,air lift, where the operation is repeated, the froth, in turn, being carried upwardly and across a quiet water-spitzkasten Where any gangue material which may by chance have been carriedA with the froth 1s given anopportunity to .settle to the bottom of the cell and is again treated, while the clean froth concentrate is discharged.

Another obj ect of my invention is to construct a machine of this character which is entirely pneumatic, having no mechanical impellers, or'the like, to dash or beat the pulp against the walls of the machine, causing excessive wear and tear, etc.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of my device.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a modified form of an air injector.

The machine preferably consists of a iotation cell, 1, which comprises a main vertical front wall, 2, a bottom, 3, and an outwardly and upwardly linclined rear-wall, 4, and vertical side-walls, 5 and 6, which, as indicated at 7 and 8, converge toward the bottom, 3. 9 indicates a plurality of vertically arranged partitions, located between the front and rear walls, 2 and 4, which are adapted to extend upwardly in the cell a certain distance, thereby forming a plurality of compartments, 10, 11 and l2, these compartments being provided with additional inclined partitions, 13 and 14, which converge inwardly from the'upper edge of the partition wall, 9, thereby converting the compartment into hoppers, lthe several inclined walls of the several compartments directing Vall materials beneath the air lift 15 hereinafter described. Arranged along the end wall, 6, is the feed inlet 10 leading to the first compartment, 10.

Arranged ineacli of the compartments is a vertically arranged air lift, 15, having its lower end open and spaced from the bottom of the compartment, while directlyA above these air lifts is a distributing box composed of a plurality of compartments, 16, 17 and 18, provided with a plurality of outlet ports, 19, which'lead into an agitating chamber 20 having arranged therebeneath a compartment 21. The lower compartment is provided with a covering consisting of va porous diaphragm, or air-mat, 22.

The upper compartment is provided at the bottom with longitudinal slots or openings, 23, extending the full length thereof directly above theair mat, whereby the settling gangue, or non-floatable particles in the upper compartment will be permitted to again settle to the bottom of the compartment passing out intothe main cell 1 and settled to 'the bottom thereof and be again treated. The side wall or baille, 20', of the compartment 20, is adjustably secured in a vertical position and if desired may be also placed at an incline, in order to assist in producing a suitable froth for the treatment of ores of various characters. The position of the air-mat is also adjustable for the same reason. A portion of the outlet ports, 19, are vertically over the adjoining compartment. Therefore, the settling gangue material is divided,'a portion being re-treated in the same compartment, and a portion passing to the succeeding compartment.' Suitable to the ore being treated these partitions can be so constructed as to convey any desired proportion of' the' material which has been treated in one air lift compartment to the following compartment.

As a means of causing the material to -raise in 'the air-lifting compartments, l

lift, or through a pipe leading through the floor. 'llhe injector is preferably iitted to a plug, 25, which is inserted through the floor of the compartment, whereby the injector may be removed when desirable.

'llo eect a frothing agitation in the comy partment, 20, an air-pipe, 26, leads to the compartment, 21, directly beneath the diaphragm or air-mat, 22, which, as mentioned,

1s porous, through which the air, or gas, is admitted under pressure slightly above that exerted by the weight of the column of water on the mat.- 'llhe bubbles rise from beneath the cross-dow from the discharge ports, 19. At this point the sulphide partiycles, or sulphidized particles, come in Contact with gas or air-bubbles and are carried into the rising froth, the gangue, or non-floatable particles, or sulphidized or other loatable particles, which didnot chance to connect,

with an air or gas bubble, may settle on either side of the air mat, or filter medium, 22, to the bottom of the air-lift. The froth arising trom the aitating compartment, 20, passes over the bae, or vertical wall 20', of the compartment and pass over a quiet space ot water, commonly known as a waterspitzkasten, and while crossing the quiet water-spitzkasten yany gangue or material which, by chance, may be carried with the froth is given an opportunity to settle and be ire-treated, while the froth passes over into the launder, .27,where a clean froth concentrate is l secured.

The discharge of the treated pulp is accomplished by means of a suitable gate operating in yconjunction with an air-litt, which may be one that discharges into the last distributing compartment or one used solely lor 'discharging purposes. As an auxiliary to this discharging device,'l employ an overflow weir which maintains a definite water level within the body of the machine, and thus automatically provides additional discharging capacity which will accoodate a uctuation in the volume of the leed, delivered t the body of the machine. The water discharged by the weir is taken from below the lower compartment 21 containing the air-mat, consequently no concentrate froth can be discharged by it, The sands or gangue material are carried by the air-lift to the main discharge gate, consequently no accumulation of sands can occur in the bottom of the machine.

While l have shown the main discharge gate at the end ol the last air-lift, at or near the water level oit the machine, an

Latraer@ important feature where head-room or grade is a matter ot consequence, ll do not wish to be, limited to such a discharging device. Obviously a doat controlled valve could be placed at the bottom oit the machine, which would accomplishan edective discharge without the use ot the ,air-litt, but would lose a certain amount of head-room, then, again, a separate air-lift, distinct from those employed to circulate the pulp within the machine, may be used solely for discharg- U ing purposes.

a porous air-mat, 22, through which air or n gas is admitted under pressure, causing a bubbling actionat this point which carries the sulphide or sulphidized particles to contact with the gas or air bubbles and rise upwardly with the rising froth, while a portion of the material settles downwardly through the openings, 23, into the air-lift compartments, to be again treated. The particles being carried ed by the froth in turn being carried across a quiet water-spitzhasmn where any gangue material which may, by chance have been carried with the froth is given an opportunity to settle to the bottom or the cell and again be treated, while the clean froth concentrate is dischargedo l claim:

l. A' dotation cell having .a distributing vbon arranged therein, compartments arranged adjacent to the distributing bon and having an air-mat interposed therebetween, an overnow ballleboard adjustable to vary the capacityand overflow level of the upper mat compartment, a froth decanting compartment adjacent to the bams board and L receiving the overflow thereover, and means for supplying air toi the air-mat.

2,. 'A flotation cell having a sloping bottom, a distributing box arranged in the up= per portion of the cell, compartments arranged adjacent to the distributing bon and havlng an air-mat interposed therebetween, an overllow bae board adjustable to vary the capacity and overhovv level of the upper mat compartment, a froth decanting cdmpartmentladja'cent to the bae board and receiving= the overlow thereover, and means tor supplying air to the air-mat.,

3. A dotation cell having a sloping bottom, a distributing box arranged in the upper portion of the cell, and having outlets, air-lift conduits depending from the distributing bon, means for supplying air under pressure to said air-lift conduits, comn partments arranged adjacent to the distribl rec.

rec

uting box and having an air-mat interposed therebetween, an overiow baffle-board adjustable vertically and laterally to vary the capacity and overflow level of the upper mat compartment, a froth decanting compartment adjacent to the baiie board and receiving the overiow thereover, and means for supplying air to the air-mat.

1i. In an ore treating apparatus, a substantially V-shaped elongated tank subdivided to provide a plurality of compartments, each having a region at its top for the formation of a froth iayer, a distributor box co-eXtensive with the said tank at one side of the top thereof, said distributor box being subdivided to provide a number of closed ended passages corresponding in number to that of tbe compartments of said. tank and having' its inside Walls perforated throughout its length, air lift conduits depending from said distributor' box one into eaeh compartment of said tank, means for supplying 'air un i progressively of the compartments thereof,

means for directing the How oi ore pulp discharged from the perforated wali of the distributor bon to a point immediately below the lower end of tbe adjaoent air lift conduit, and means for supplying air under pressure to each compartment of said tank below the level of the distributor box' and verticali?v below the region oiE the froth layer formation for agitating the ore puip in its iow therethrough.

fin testimony whereof l ani'iii my signaturen 'GERALD R, SMPSN, 

